When one partner is a memory-foam-loving side sleeper and their other half is a back sleeper who runs hot, they’ll likely each need different types of mattresses. A split king mattress brings the best of both worlds: a shared bed and personalized sleep setups. Of course you could just buy two separate beds and push them together, but there’s a chance your clashing picks could have noticeable discrepancies. Instead, opting for a brand that offers various firmness options for its designs or a set split king option ensures you’ll create a cohesive setup. Read on to explore our picks for the best split king mattresses. Yep, the dimensions of a split king mattress equate to two twin XL beds or 80 inches long by 76 inches wide. In fact, it uses the same frame, headboard, and even sheets as a regular king bed. Another option that’s even less common? A split California king mattress, which is 74 inches wide and 84 inches long. While it might seem excessive, tall folks needing a little extra leg space would beg to differ. The Solaire is an air bed, which means one of the mattress’ six layers consists of vulcanized air chambers. These durable rubber chambers are about 6 inches tall and inflate or deflate based on the firmness desired—and you’ll get a total option of 50 (!) firmness levels to choose from with a handheld remote. Spend up to one year trying them all before deciding if it’s the right bed for you. The best part? If you don’t want Saatva’s (additional) adjustable base, you can order this bed in regular queen and king sizes without the split and still adjust each side’’s firmness. Anyone hoping for a bit of extra elevation throughout the night should opt for the split design, which comes in both a king and California king size. Saatva takes care to use organic and sustainable materials where possible—in this case that’s the Solaire’s natural latex and 3-inch organic cotton Euro top. Each Saatva bed comes with free white glove delivery and setup, as well as removal of your old bed (just make sure your mattress qualifies, as the brand won’t take everything!). The Signature Hybrid mattress is available as a split California king, which is sold as two 36-by-84-inch halves. You can customize either half by choosing a soft, medium, or firm model and even add a cooling cover if one of you tends to run hot at night. Brooklyn Bedding recommends the soft or medium for side sleepers weighing under 230 pounds and the medium or firm for stomach sleepers or back sleepers. They also recommend the firm for anyone over 230 pounds (although heavier side sleepers might appreciate the medium). All of Brooklyn Bedding’s mattresses arrive compressed in a box, and while they meet CertiPUR-US standards for safety, they aren’t a standout brand for sustainability. However, one pillar of the business is partnering with children’s charities to provide bedding for families in need. The popular organic latex mattress is available as a split king and has a “dual firmness” option, which means one side of the bed will be medium and the other will be medium firm. The medium is a better option for side sleepers who like to feel cradled, while the medium-firm side will better suit back and stomach sleepers or anyone experiencing back pain. Note that because the Botanical Bliss is an all-foam bed, both of the firmness options make for a softer mattress. You can also choose between three different height options and—because this is one single mattress with a split in firmness levels—both sides will be the same height. While this bed isn’t sold as a split king with dual firmness, you can order two twin XLs and decide which firmness (either medium or firm) is a better fit for you and your partner. Sleep on Latex says the medium firmness is a solid choice for all sleepers, assuming you like the feel of latex foam, while the firm option is better for strict stomach or back sleepers. If neither mattress ends up working out during your 100-night trial, Sleep on Latex will arrange for someone to come pick up your bed(s) and issue a refund. The only real negative to consider here is that this mattress comes in one (rather short) 8-inch height. So if you and your partner are choosing different mattress brands to build your split king, this one will be tough to match height-wise. There’s always the option of adding a mattress topper for some extra inches! Beyond a reasonable price and a longer-than-average trial period, we dubbed this pick “best value” because Nest lets you adjust your firmness beyond the one-year trial with its “Lifetime Renewal Exchange.” Whether you want to try out a different firmness level or just want to extend the life of your bed, you can request a new comfort layer to swap out. Note: You can only do this once in your bed’s lifetime. One downside to this bed is that it’s not made with any sustainably sourced or organic materials. However, all materials are CertiPUR-US Certified and nontoxic. We’ll also throw some corporate social responsibility points Nest’s way for its renewal program, which is likely to prevent a few mattresses from meeting an early landfill fate. The options for the TEMPUR-Adapt are almost overwhelming; you can choose between three different Adapt models (each gets more expensive) with unique firmness level options. But hey, options are good when it comes to creating a split king bed! The LuxeAdapt model gets the highest rating for temperature control, but both that model and the model below (the ProAdapt) come with cool-to-the-touch, removable, machine-washable covers. Just note that each model is a different height, so consider getting two of the same model in preferred firmness to create a more cohesive bedroom look. On the con side, Tempur-Pedic doesn’t use any eco-friendly materials in its beds or make much effort toward sustainability. If this is a deal-breaker for you, consider checking out Avocado’s beds, which use natural latex and organic moisture-wicking wool. The only reason Avocado didn’t make this list was that there’s no way to customize firmness for a split king bed—however, you could order a twin XL for one side! Note that this base, which arrives as two twin XL frames, doesn’t come with a built-in headboard. If you plan on adding one, you can tag on brackets for an additional cost. Plus, the feet of the frame are also adjustable by half-inch heights, which is great news if you and your partner didn’t choose the same height mattress! Adjustable bases are best for all-foam (like the PlushBeds option above) or hybrid mattresses. We like Leesa mattresses as a whole, although its only eco-friendly option is the Legend Hybrid—we recently featured it in our roundup of best soft mattresses. An observational study from 20171 found that lack of sleep can also have a negative impact on your relationship because it affects emotion regulation. That might be why about 25% of couples surveyed by the National Sleep Foundation said they sleep in separate beds, aka a sleep divorce. And just like we need to destigmatize actual divorce, we know there’s zero shame in deciding to sleep in a separate bedroom from your spouse, especially if they snore. But for many couples, choosing a split king setup allows them to get the sleep they need without leaving their partner. (After all, there are benefits to sleeping with the person you love!) Just like relationships, mattresses aren’t one-size-fits-all. For example, if you’re a 250-pound person with back pain, you’re going to need a considerably firmer mattress than your 125-pound side-sleeping partner. Similarly, a snorer might need a little more elevation, while a hot sleeper will likely need an option with more airflow. If your goal is to get quality sleep without parting ways from your bedfellow, a split king is your solution. Whether you prefer the feel of an extra-firm mattress or are a hot sleeper looking to stay cool, a split king mattress might help you and your other half find the harmony your bedroom has been missing. Happy snuggling!
